16’s Draw With Perth Saints

Rangers 2 St.Johnstone 2

The visitor’s took an early lead when hesitancy in the Rangers defence allowed their striker to break through and lob the ball over Nicky Hogarth in the fourth minute. Five minutes later Carlo Pinatiello broke forward and passed to Gregor Wood who’s pass freed Owen McGinty inside the left side of the penalty area but he shot across goal and wide of the far post.

A similar period of time had elapsed when Rangers drew level, Trialist (8) picked up the ball on the edge of the box and passed to Owen McGinty, the ball broke of a defender and back to Trialist (8) who volleyed past the keeper. Saints then attacked down the left and when the ball came in to the box a poor clearance setup a shooting chance that came back off the crossbar.

With ten minutes to go before the break a period of pressure ended with Rangers taking the lead. Keiran McKechnie in possession on the right passed inside to Gregor Woods who’s shot looked destined for the net until the keeper tipped over. The corner on the left was taken short and Carlo Pignatiello teed up Owen McGinty on the left hand angle of the box, he was denied when the keeper dived to his left to push his shot away. Jay Mack collected the loose ball on the right hand byline and his low driven cross was forced over the line by Carlo Pigantiello. A couple of minutes later Lewis McGrattan broke forward before playing through Owen McGinty on the left side of the box with the keeper saving low to his left.

Rangers created another couple of chances in the final five minutes of the half, Owen McGinty switched play from the left to Nathan Patterson breaking into the right side of the box with the keeper saving his effort on goal. Next Carlo Pignatiello picked up a pass from the left before going for goal from round twenty-five yards that the keeper tipped over.

Half-Time:-Rangers 2 St.Johnstone 1

Rangers had a chance early in the second half when Michael Hewitt played the ball forward to Owen McGinty on the left, a superb turn took him away from the defender and into the box, the keeper dived to his left to save with a defender completing the clearance. Saints responded by going straight up the other end and drawing level, the attack took them to the left hand byline and from the cutback the ball was slammed past Nicky Hogarth.

On the hour mark Carlo Pignatiello fired in a free-kick from the edge of the box and right of centre that the keeper dived to his right to save. Within in minutes Owen McGinty got to the byline on the right and from his cutback Carlo Pignatiello’s shot crashed off the underside of the bar with the keeper beaten.

With twenty minutes remaining Carlo Pignatiello attacked the centre of the St.Johnstone defence before playing through Gregor Woods on the left side of the penalty area but he shot across goal and wide of the far post. Rangers had the better of the remainder of the game but neither side could grab the winner.